738 NEW YOKK STATE MUSEUM 



depth, of 40 feet at least, below tMs, as shown by borings. A sam- 

 ple from the upper half of the bank showed the following composi- 

 tion : 



Silica • 53. n 



Alumina ' 20 . 49 



Peroxid of iron 9.23 



Magnesia 4.22 



Lime 2.04 



Alkalis 9 . 60 



99.35 



The clay, which is said to improve with the depth, is worked 

 by undermining. It is then loaded on carts and hauled about 

 200 feet to a platform, underneatb wbich cars are run to receive 

 the clay and sand. These cars, in trains of three or four, are 

 drawn to the yard by four horses, the grade being slightly descend- 

 ing. Tempering is done in large rectangular soak pits; open yards 

 are used for drying the brick, or it is done on pallets. A small 

 quantity of hematite is added to the molding sand. The bricks are 

 burnt in scove-kilns witb wood. Most of the product goes to Con- 

 necticut and Rhode Island. 



Farmingdale, Suffolk co. M. Meyers's yard lies about 1 mile 

 north of the village, along the southern edge of the moraine, on 

 a branch, track of tbe railroad. The clay pit is so^me 300 feet from 

 the yard, and several feet lower. Tlie clay is chiefly a reddish yellow 

 and very plastic, but tough in places. The lower portions are 

 quite free from sand. Mr. Meyers claims a thickness of at least 25 

 feet of clay in addition to the 10 feet exposed. At the entrance to 

 the pit the clay is seen tO' be underlain by a bluish white micaceous 

 sand, which is cross-bedded and dips under tbe clay at a very steep^ 

 angle. Hauling the clay is done in carts, the tempering in ring pits 

 with the addition of sand and coal dust. Soft mud machines are 

 used, and the drying is done on pallets. The pallet racks have 



